


just the beginning

by GoldenTruth813



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Communication, First Time, Getting Together, Harry Potter Next Generation, Implied Sexual Content, Intimacy, Loss of Virginity, Love Confessions, M/M, Morning After, POV James Sirius Potter, Pet Names, disaster james sirius potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:34:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29430351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenTruth813/pseuds/GoldenTruth813
Summary: The morning after James and Teddy get together, James has a bit of a freak out. Teddy is there to reassure him.
Relationships: Teddy Lupin/James Sirius Potter
Comments: 48
Kudos: 219
Collections: Love Languages Mini Fest





	just the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Next Gen Love Languages fest. The idea was that James's love language is acts of service and touch and Teddy's is words of affirmation. 
> 
> Thank you motherofmercy for the wonder beta! It's been awhile since I wrote Jeddy and I loved being able to write them again.

The touch is feather light—so soft against his back that James might almost believe he’s dreaming.

He’s not.

There is definitely someone trailing fingers over the jut of his shoulder muscles, down the curve of his spine and across the dimples James knows reside just above his ass which is very precariously covered by the sheet. It’s not just a gentle touch, it’s _slow_ , curious—exploratory. 

If James tries he can imagine the way Teddy’s thick eyebrows might be scrunched together, or the way his tongue might be protruding from between his soft lips. Teddy’s face is so expressive, especially when he’s concentrating. James isn’t sure there’s anything that exciting about his back but if Teddy wants to map out every single one of James’ one hundred and twenty nine freckles, then James is more than happy to remain deathly still and let him.

He could crack an eye, could try and get an eyeful of Teddy in the morning. He’s probably fucking stunning. It’s so easy to imagine the way his lavender hair might be sticking up in the front from where James had a hand fisted in it last night, or to daydream about the way the love bites James wasn’t shy about leaving across the hollow of Teddy’s beautiful neck last night.

Last night.

The night of James’ fucking dreams.

Months of flirting, or wondering if maybe he was imagining things, finally came to fruition last night in the most unexpected of ways. James had a long as fuck practice and had come to Teddy’s flat covered in mud, exhausted and bruised up from a stray bludger. Instead of going to meet Scorpius and Albus, and Lily at the pub, Teddy had sent James to the shower and upon exiting (and pulling on Teddy’s clothes since he hadn’t stopped off at his own flat for anything) James had come into the living room to find the wireless playing on low, candles floating above the fireplace and Teddy sitting on the sofa with James’s favorite takeaway—curry, extra spicy with a double side of naan.

The candles had been surprising but James had been too hungry and exhausted to think much of it. 

When Teddy had manhandled James to sit between his legs, well that wasn’t even that unexpected because he and Teddy were always close and Teddy always indulged James’ need for physical affection.

When Teddy began to run his fingers through James’s still damp curls, James had done nothing but stuff half a naan into his mouth and grunt as Teddy’s beautiful fucking fingers massaged his scalp and the newest episode of James’s favorite program—something Teddy teased him was essentially the wizard version of a soap opera—played in the background.

When the food was gone but they remained sitting close, James didn’t second guess it. They cuddled a lot. Friends could cuddle. Platonic cuddling was severely underrated in James’ opinion and yeah maybe he’d been in love with Teddy since he was fifteen but it didn’t mean he couldn’t also appreciate Teddy’s companionship and friendship and want to cuddle him independent of his traitorous heart’s inability to ever love anyone but Edward Lupin.

When James’ program stopped playing and the wireless went to white noise, instead of leaving his head, Teddy’s fingers cascaded down the side of James’ neck. James, too shell shocked to do more than gasp, was frozen to the spot as if stupefied. 

“Jamie,” Teddy had whispered, his fingers smoothing down over the hollow of James’ collarbone. 

The shock quickly transformed into something far less tentative and far more, well—horny.

James had flipped them over so quickly he’d nearly knocked them off the sofa. Thankfully his quick reflexes and superior quidditch strength ensured they didn’t end up on the floor. When Teddy crashed their lips together a few seconds later though they did end up on Teddy’s bed. Which really wasn’t James’ fault—he hadn’t had a bit of accidental magic in nearly six years—but the boy you’ve loved fucking forever finally maybe fancying you back and kissing you is bound to make a bloke lose his mind. Or his magic.

What had happened after had been the single greatest night of James’ life.

It wasn’t just that Teddy was the best fuck of his life (which he really was), or that he’d been incredibly attentive to James’s every desire (fuck had he ever) but that he’d been so attuned to James, period. 

Waking up from last night feels like a dream—a dream that James never wants to end. Morning has come too soon and James isn’t ready.

Dreams are wishes that don’t come true, they’re moments not lifetimes and they don’t last forever but James isn’t ready to lose this. The perfection of last night feels too precious to tarnish with the light of dawn. 

“You know, you can open your eyes,” Teddy whispers, blunt fingernails scraping down James’ left side.

“How long have you known I was awake?” James asks, cracking open one eye then the next.

Just as expected, Teddy is fucking gorgeous laying on the pillow beside him. 

The light from the sole bedroom window is casting a beam of light to fall across Teddy—the crystals that hang in Teddy’s window casting pastel rainbows over Teddy’s bare shoulder and making James want to cry because he loves him so fucking much. It makes him look ethereal—too beautiful to be real. Then again James has always thought this of Teddy even when he was sixteen and gangly with acne on his chin. He’s seen the beauty in Teddy even before Teddy learned to see it in himself. 

Teddy’s normally perfect hair is in complete disarray and there are more than a few love marks that dot Teddy’s neck and shoulder which James is definitely responsible for. He looks well fucked and disheveled and the knowledge that James is the one to give Teddy that good fuck morning after glow makes his heart feel too big for his chest.

No one should be allowed to look the way he does when he smiles, equal parts innocent and wicked.

“The entire time,” Teddy answers with a grin, blissfully unaware of James’ running internal monologue. 

Everyone thinks James talks a lot but it’s only because they can’t hear how much he thinks. No one seems to think it but contrary to popular belief James has a fuck ton of self control and doesn’t give voice to nearly half the thinks he thinks.

Well, except around Teddy that is. 

James suffers from a terrible case of _can’t-shut-his-fucking-mouth-itis_ when he’s around Teddy, often giving voice to the most inane or private thoughts in his head which he wouldn’t normally dare say in front of anyone except his kneazle.

“Something on your mind, Jamie?” Teddy asks at the same time that his pointer finger traces across the sensitive skin between his shoulder blades.

James can’t do much more than exhale a breathy little sigh, his hands fisted in the sheets.

“You like that?” Teddy asks, repeating the action with a bit more intention the second time.

Albus once told James he was like a krup to which James had promptly tried to hex him. Their dad had intervened before James could turn Albus into a krup which was probably a good thing but it was something James never forgot. He knows now Albus was taking the piss but it’s so close to the truth. James kind of is like a fucking krup—always hungry and always trying to get touched.

It’s not exactly James’ fault that touch is how he feels connected to others, especially Teddy.

There’s a world of fucking difference between sitting side by side at the pub with their legs pressed close together beneath the table even when there’s plenty of extra seating; a bit of best mates cuddling while they listen to a Quidditch match on the wireless; and what’s happening now.

“Sweetheart if you don’t say something soon I’m going to be tempted to take you to St. Mungos to make sure I didn’t actually fuck your brains out.”

James splutters. “Think awful fucking highly of yourself don’t you Teddy Lupin.”

“Probably not nearly as highly as you do,” Teddy answers in a way that makes him feel _seen_.

“Bloody fucking wanker,” James grumbles at the same time he tries to casually and subtly inch his body closer to Teddy’s. He might be nervous as shit but he’s also human. James is naked and Teddy is also naked and the fact that they’re not closer together is one of the great tragedies of James’ short lifetime.

“Mmm, there’s the Jamie I know and love,” Teddy says.

“Here I am,” James agrees, resisting the urge to bury his face into his pillow and scream.

He’s spent so long wishing Teddy felt the same, then so long convincing himself it wasn’t a possibility, that he never once stopped to think about how it might feel if Teddy did ever feel the same. It would be so easy to pretend that everything was the same, that they were just two best mates who had crashed into the same bed, except they’re naked and James’ ass is sore and they definitely spent all night fucking in Teddy’s bed.

“Merlin you’re fucking cute in the morning,” Teddy whispers, fingers dancing up James’ spine to play with the curls at the back of his neck.

It’s such an innocuous compliment but it makes James’ face burn. 

“Oh,” Teddy murmurs, nails dragging across the base of James’ spine, “you’re blushing.”

“Am fucking not,” James protests, despite the warmth he can feel in his cheeks. He probably looks a fucking tomato and his freckles are probably splotchy.

“My mistake, must be another bloke laying in my bed looking cute as shit. I wonder if this other _not Jamie_ bloke would like a good morning kiss.”

“He might be persuaded,” James huffs.

“Mmm, might he?” Teddy grins, sliding his leg out to slip between James’ and yeah, Teddy’s bloody naked and James is hard again.

“Mhmm,” James hums, unsure what the etiquette for getting a morning hard on while your very naked and very gorgeous best mate rubs his bare leg against yours is. Given the copious fucking that occured last night it seems reasonable that James’ cock is hard already but James has never fucked anyone which means he’s never experienced a morning after either so how the fuck should he know?

“Jamie,” Teddy utters, his voice so sweet and gentle.

“Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“You know me, always good, Teddy.”

“I’m not everyone else, sweetheart. I don’t want the easy answer. I want the real one,” Teddy tells him, grabbing a hold of James’ hip and pulling him closer. 

“What like the _I just had the best sex of my life which was maybe the only sex of my life but also the best and I’m kind of freaking out because I’ve loved you forever_ and—” but James snaps his mouth shut faster than you can say _expeliarmus_ and shoves his face into the pillow.

Several long seconds pass during which James contemplates disapparating in the nude to avoid dealing with the fallout of what he’s just said when Teddy’s fingers to the back of his neck.

“ _Jamie_.”

“James isn’t here right now he’s contemplating his mortality,” James says into the pillow, unsure how one copes with an accidental love confession post loss of virginity to the love of their life who maybe possibly didn’t yet know they were the love of your life.

Teddy’s laughter makes the bed shake and James finds himself smiling despite himself. He fucking loves making Teddy laugh.

“You’re so dramatic.”

“Am fucking not,” James retorts, lifting his face enough to be sure he’s heard.

“Are too,” Teddy laughs again, his long fingers spreading wide against the back of James’ head, his thumb stroking over the skin behind the back of his ear. It’s such an innocuous spot to touch but the intimacy makes James’ toes curl, though now as much as Teddy’s next words. “And for the record I love it. _Love_ you.”

James turns his face out of the pillow to look at Teddy, his own heart thundering in his chest.

Teddy is smiling that same smile he always reserves for James—boyish and open—and James is completely undone.

James doesn’t even know he’s crying until Teddy’s thumb swipes over the wetness on his cheek, following it up with a soft press of lips against the cheekbone.

“I thought you knew,” Teddy whispers, pulling back but keeping his hand resting on the side of James’ neck. 

“How the fuck would I know?” James chokes.

“I tried to give you signals,” Teddy says, so earnest that James falls in love with him all over again. “I didn’t want to spook you away by just saying it out loud but I thought...all the touching and the cuddling.”

“I thought we were platonic cuddling,” James all but wheezes.

“Platonic cuddling,” Teddy repeats, his lips quirking up in the corner.

“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Edward Lupin.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it sweetheart,” Teddy assures him, brushing the hair back off James’ forehead. “But uh...just for the record I don’t platonically sleep wrapped around someone else or platonically hold their hand for moonlight strolls or—”

“I get the idea,” James interrupts, one thousand percent sure if he wasn’t blushing before that he is now.

In hindsight it seems a bit more obvious. Teddy has been touching James more the last few weeks, letting him spend the night at his flat the last few weekends and inviting him into his bed instead of the sofa where he’d spoon up against James’ back or take his hand as they’d strolled through the park at midnight last Saturday before going for a midnight broom ride. They were all things James chalked up to Teddy indulging him—to Teddy knowing how much the touch means to James. Which apparently Teddy does know. It’s just that James didn’t realize Teddy _knows_.

All this time Teddy was there trying to tell James how he felt in James’ language and James missed it all.

“So uh, when you uh were touching me it was for this,” James clarifies.

“I mean this is a very nice thing but I didn’t touch you so you’d sleep with me. I touched you because I wanted to. Because I wanted to show you how I felt. I wanted you to feel loved,” Teddy tells him easily. Words always come so easily to Teddy.

“Oh,” James exhales, lost for words for the first time in his life.

“Is this a good oh?” Teddy, his thumb stroking down James’ neck.

James nods, unsure how to put all his feelings into words. Sometimes it feels like someone put an undetectable extension charm on his brain and there isn’t room for all his thoughts and feelings to be put into words. They feel too big, too messy—too everything.

“Okay, that’s good,” Teddy says, inching close until his nose bumps up against James’.

“Good,” James echoes, breath shuddering in his throat as his lips fall open against Teddy’s.

It’s nothing more than a kiss—barely a brush of lips together—but it undoes James completely as he hiccups out a pathetic little sound and throws himself at Teddy, deepening the kiss with a decided lack of finesse. 

“I love you,” James chokes out against Teddy’s lips. “I've loved you for so long.”

“I know, Jamie. I know,” he soothes, slowing the kiss down as he rolls them over so Teddy is above James, caging him in on all sides. “You think I don’t know?”

It’s the last thing James expects to hear. He knows everyone knew about his puppy crush on Teddy when he was younger but he really thought he’d done a good job of hiding it as he got older. Apparently fucking not.

“Don’t pout, sweetheart. You wear your heart on your sleeve. It’s one of the many, many things I love about you. I’m just sorry it took me so long to catch up.”

“S’ok,” James mumbles, jaw quivering as he tries to make sense of it all.

Teddy smiles widely and looks up at James like he is something special. Maybe he is. Maybe they both are.

“Hey Jamie,” Teddy says, letting his hand skim lower down James’ side until his fingers reach James’ ass and he gives it a playful squeeze. “You wanna fuck my brains out this time?”

James laughs, nodding. “Fuck yes, Teddy.”

“Fantastic,” Teddy grins again, flipping them over so James is the one towering over Teddy and it’s James’ turn to laugh, as aroused as he is happy.

No one talks about what happens after you get exactly what you’ve always wanted. The fairytales always end with the happily ever after but James feels as if their story is just beginning and he can’t fucking wait to see where it goes.


End file.
